In the past forty years, the average American’s weight has skyrocketed. This
can be traced to the introduction of fast food into our everyday lives. Fatty
cheeseburgers and grease laden French fries have replaced fresh fish and crisp
vegetables. Americans have come to value convenience more highly than personal
health and consequently we are paying for what we consume.

Obesity is becoming an increasingly significant health concern in the United
States, nearly to the point of epidemic proportions. To be considered obese,
one’s body weight must be at least 20% over their ideal body weight;
unfortunately with this definition, over 30% of all Americans are obese.
Alarmingly, approximately 280,000 annual deaths were attributed to obesity in
the United States (Allison, p. 1530). http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v282n16/full/joc90587.html
There are significant health concerns that must be addressed with increasing
trend towards obesity. The National Center for Health Statistics has identified
the leading three causes of death in the United States as heart disease, cancer
and stroke. Obesity has been identified as a leading risk factor for each of
these diseases as well as adult onset diabetes. Fortunately these killers can
be controlled through one’s diet. Dr.Shintani’s HawaiiDietÔ has closely studied trends in weight gain
from both past histories and present day to identify a proper diet that will
control one’s weight as well as significantly improve their health. http://www.hawaiidiet.com

What is the HawaiiDietÔ ?

The HawaiiDietÔ is not merely a diet
in the typical sense of the word; rather it is a change of lifestyle. Though it
is the goal of many to solely lose weight with a strict diet, Dr. Shintani
looks at the larger picture of health. His main goal is for long-term improved
health, including reduction in cholesterol levels. His focus is prevention, not
reaction that other fad diets elicit.

The HawaiiDietÔ emphasizes not only
a change in diet, but also introduces personal wholeness into the program. Dr.
Shintani asserts in his book The HawaiiDiet, that optimal health
involves all aspects of one’s being: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical,
not only one’s relationship with food. A harmony must be achieved within for
optimum health, and this includes a life without high levels of internal stress.
Saying a prayer, meditating and laughing daily, as well as performing acts of
selflessness, and finding a love for life can reduce stress (p. 82).

The program shows one how to replace unhealthy and fatty foods with healthy
and natural alternatives so that this diet becomes a way of life. Dr.Shintani’s
program looks back to ancient Hawaii beliefs and traditions and has
incorporated this into his modern day diet that all Americans can follow. Dr.
Shintani’s program is modeled after the Hawaiian ancestors’ diet that consisted
of high complex carbohydrate, low fat and moderate protein foods. In contrast
to the popular low-carbohydrate, high protein diets of today, Dr. Shintani’s
diet is mainly vegan in its composition. With a concentration of vegetables,
fruits and whole grains, one is able to eat as much as they like and still lose
weight. There is a de-emphasis of protein from animal products because of the
relationship associated with meat and saturated fats. Oils, refined sugars and
dairy products are also supposed to be minimally consumed on this diet (see
Inverted Pyramid).

What is EMI?

EMI stands for the ‘Eat More Index’; it is based upon a mass to calorie
ratio of various foods. Basically the EMI number represents the "number of
pounds of food it takes to provide 2,500 calories (one day’s worth of calories
for an average active woman or average inactive man)". http://www.hawaiidiet.com/program.htm
For example, the EMI of lettuce is 39.0. So it would take 39 pounds of lettuce
to be consumed in one day to meet the 2,500 calorie mark. Obviously, one could
not comfortably eat 39 pounds of lettuce each day- its too bulky- so one would
consume less calories and as a result lose weight. In other words, the greater
the EMI number, the more one can eat. In contrast, mayonnaise has an EMI value
of 0.8; this means that very little mayonnaise can be consumed before reaching
the allotted 2,500 calorie mark for the day, thus much less can be consumed in
comparison with the lettuce.

The ‘Eat More Index’ is the foundation for Dr. Shintani’s diet. The EMI
value helps identify which foods should be eaten most frequently as compared to
never or rarely. Unlike many other diets that restrict the amount of food
consumed, the HawaiiDietÔ allows one to
consume twice as much food than they could before adopting the diet. Bulkier
foods such as broccoli, potatoes and onions are the main source of food to be
consumed. Foods such as mayonnaise, beef and hard candy have very low EMI
numbers and are to be eaten sparingly. With a general understanding of the
program and knowing what foods have a high mass to calorie ratio, then one does
not have to tediously count calories. Simply follow the daily-recommended
servings for each food group and one will remain at or below the 2,500 calorie
consumption daily.

Inverted Pyramid:

On the HawaiiDietÔ one should eat
8-13 servings of whole grains and other staples; 3-5 vegetable servings; 2-4
servings of fruit; 2-3 non-dairy calcium foods; as well as 2-3 servings of
no-cholesterol protein foods. The inverted pyramid is a diagram that
demonstrates visually what foods have a high or low EMI value. http://www.hawaiidiet.com/pyramid.htm
The pyramid then serves as a guide which can aid in the selection of food while
observing the HawaiiDietÔ . The pyramid
demonstrates that foods selected most often should be plant-based foods high in
whole complex carbohydrates and low in fat and cholesterol. Foods at the top of
the pyramid- vegetables, fruits and whole grains- are to be eaten most
frequently; foods at the bottom of the pyramid- oils, red meat, and refined
sugars- should be eaten minimally. One should note that calcium is not obtained
from cheese and milk while on the diet because dairy products should be
consumed sparingly; rather one receives their calcium through dark leafy
greens.

To make the dietary transition from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid to the
Inverted HawaiiDietÔ pyramid smoother,
Dr. Shintani has created three different, three- week menus for one to choose
from and follow as a guide. The first is the "Hawaii/Pacific style,
middle-American version". The dishes off of the first menu are familiar
and are a mixture of the two other menus, with a strong emphasis on familiar
foods such as potatoes. The second menu is "the Hawaii/Pacific
style". This menu plan has a distinctly Hawaiian and Asian flair and is
more difficult to follow because of hard to find ingredients in the recipes. The
third is the "Mediterranean style" menu. This plan includes somewhat
higher fat dishes and allows dairy on occasion. This diet is not ideal for
individual trying to lose weight rather it is geared more towards the
individual who is concerned about physical health. These three menu plans are
highlighted in his book The HawaiiDiet. A sample of his menu can be
found on the HawaiiDietÔ web site. http://www.hawaiidiet.com/Tmenu.htm

Dr. Shintani’s Foundation:

Dr. Shintani claims that his diet is "scientifically valid and
medically proven to treat obesity and the illnesses associated with
obesity". http://www.hawaiidiet.com/compare.htm
He asserts that it is an effective means to lose weight because one is still
able eat as much as they want and fill up on bulky foods but consume fewer
calories. This is what he calls the ‘Hawaiian Paradox’. In his own studies he
has found that the average overweight individual lost seventeen pounds in a
three-week period. Dr. Shintani not only looked at the average individual’s
weight loss but also reductions in cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels
dropped an average of 24% after the initial three- weeks of the diet were
completed (Shintani, p.5). Dr. Shintani asserts that the elevated cholesterol
levels and weight gain are the product of consuming too much animal fat and
protein. These foods need to be eliminated from one’s diet much like the
Hawaiian ancestors’ diet years ago. Dr. Shintain believes that because ancient
Hawaiians and other ancient cultures survived with minimal consumption of
animal flesh and dairy. Dr. Shintani also found it important to note that
ancient cultures did not have obesity as a health concern; only after the modernization
of culture that obesity has become so common. Dr. Shintani has made the
association between animal products and obesity, and asserts that we must
return to our roots and eliminate the modern day convenience of fast food from
our lives.

Conclusion:

The HawaiiDietÔ can be easily compared to the vegan diet in
that the focus of the menu is on fruits, vegetables and whole oats, and animal
products are excluded. Studies have shown that there are significant benefits
from a vegan diet- namely a lower incidence of chronic disease, such as heart
disease (Hadden et al, p. 587). http://www.ajcn.org Studies have also found
that the consumption of protein was sufficient although animal products are
shunned. Though the vegan diet is sufficient in providing most of our daily
vitamins, some deficiencies of vitamins and these cause concern.

Deficiencies that must be
addressed when rigorously following the HawaiiDietÔ or similar vegan diet are the loss of iron, vitamin B-12 and
calcium. Iron is of important concern for vegans because fruits and vegetables
lack iron that is available in meat. A lack of iron in the body often can cause
anemia; a reduction of the hemoglobin of the red blood cells. One physical sign
of anemia is the marked lack of energy and sluggishness. It is recommended that
vegans should take supplements to prevent the onset of anemia. Another concern
of vegans should be the low levels of the vitamin B-12. B-12 is found only in
animal products and the rigid diet of fruits and vegetables that the vegan
follows is thus void of this important vitamin. B-12 is important because it
is, "required for DNA synthesis and erythropoiesis and a deficiency may
result in higher proportions of immature, enlarged red blood cells"
(Haddad et al, p. 590). In other words, a vitamin supplement for B-12 must be
taken to avoid a deficiency. Finally, calcium deficiencies are a concern for
those whose previous primary source of calcium was from dairy products. It is
difficult to replace an adequate amount of calcium daily when eliminating dairy
products from one’s diet. Some plants such as broccoli, cabbage and mustard
greens do provide calcium however it has been found that, "the quantity of
vegetables required to reach sufficient calcium intake make an exclusively
plant-based diet impractical for most individuals unless fortified foods or
supplements are included" (Weaver et al, p.543). http://www.ajcn.org

When embarking on a strict
diet of mainly vegetables, fruits and whole grains one must be well educated in
not only the health benefits but risks as well. One should be aware of the
deficiencies that arise when restricting their diet, especially when eliminating
the consumption of animal products. One must make conscientious decisions as to
what foods to include in their daily meals so that the proper nutrients and
vitamins that are not being fed to the body are made up for with vitamin
supplements.